HAIR TRANSPLANTATION - habitat-health

HOW COMMON IS HAIR LOSS?

Hair loss, or alopecia, is very common. Many conditions can cause it. Hair loss is divided into 2 categories:

Scarring, which leads to permanent destruction of the hair follicle.
Nonscarring, in which hair follicles remain intact.

The vast majority of hair loss is nonscarring. It includes such conditions as pattern baldness and telogen effluvium, or excessive hair shedding.

The majority of hair loss in both men and women is pattern baldness, also referred to as androgenetic alopecia. Both genetic (family) and hormonal factors play a role in pattern baldness.

Another common cause of hair loss is excessive hair shedding. Common triggers for hair shedding include a major illness, surgery, rapid weight loss, nutritional deficiency, thyroid problems, stress, and certain medications.

WHAT CAUSES MALE PATTERN BALDNESS?

The following factors contribute to male pattern baldness:

Age: The chances of developing male pattern baldness increase with age. About 25% of people assigned male at birth see the first signs of hair loss before age 21. By age 50, half experience hair loss, and about 70% will lose hair as they get older.
Hormones: Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is a type of androgen. Androgens are a group of sex hormones that help people enter puberty and mature physically. Physical developments include hair growth on the face, scalp, chest, underarms and genitals. Medical experts and researchers think that there might be a link between DHT and your hair follicles shrinking.
Genetics: People assigned male at birth have one X chromosome they inherit from their mother and one Y chromosome they inherit from their father. The AR gene on your X chromosome tells your body how to make androgens. Your AR gene’s sensitivity helps determine male pattern baldness.

WHAT IS MALE PATTERN BALDNESS?

Male pattern baldness (androgenic alopecia) is a type of hair loss that affects people assigned male at birth (AMAB). It causes you to lose hair on the skin covering your head (scalp), and your hair doesn’t grow back. Other signs of male-pattern baldness include thinning hair and a hairline that moves farther back on your head (receding hairline).

There are seven stages of male pattern baldness according to the Hamilton-Norwood scale:

Stage 1: There’s little or no hair loss or hairline recession.
Stage 2: There’s slight hair loss near the skin between your ears and forehead (temples).
Stage 3: You have deep hairline recession around your temples, and your hairline may have an “M” or “U” shape.
Stage 4: You have very deep hairline recession and a loss of hair at the top of your head (crown).
Stage 5: Your hairline recession connects to the bald spot on your crown.
Stage 6: The hair between your temples and crown is thinning or gone.
Stage 7: You have no hair on the top of your head and a thin band of hair around the side of your head.

WHAT CONDITIONS DOES HAIR RESTORATION SURGERY TREAT?

There are many reasons you might lose your hair. Sometimes hair loss is temporary, but it can be permanent. Hair implants may help with permanent hair loss caused by:

Alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease that attacks hair follicles.
Androgenic alopecia, or pattern baldness.
Thyroid diseases or hormonal imbalances.
Traumatic injuries or burns.

WHAT IS THE RECOVERY PROCESS AFTER HAIR TRANSPLANT SURGERY?

Most hair transplants are outpatient surgeries, which means you can go home the same day as the procedure. Your recovery process will depend on the type of transplant you have. In the days after surgery, you may be able to:

Day 1: Remove bandages.
Day 2: Wash your hair.
Days 3 to 5: Return to work and start light activities.
After 10 days: Remove stitches (done by your healthcare provider).
After 3 weeks: Return to exercise or sports.

WHAT IS AN EYEBROW TRANSPLANT?

An eyebrow transplant is a permanent cosmetic procedure to make your eyebrows appear fuller or to replace hair that’s been lost. A surgeon will perform this procedure using scalp or hair grafts to replace your current eyebrow hair.

A hair graft is a type of hair transplant surgery where a surgeon removes a small piece of your scalp, usually from above your ears, that can contain between two and 15 hair follicles. Hair follicles are the tubes that grow your hair.

The surgeon transfers the hair graft to your eyebrows. Once your skin heals after surgery, the hair on your eyebrows will look more pronounced, reducing the need to use makeup or an eyebrow pencil.